Aerial railway.



No. 889,642. PATENTED JUNE 2,1908,

3. 'Y. SWEENEY. AERIAL RAILWAY. APPLIOATION FILED MAY 28.1907.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SINGLETON YOUNG SWEENEY, OF BOANOKE, VIRGINIA.

AERIAL RAILWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed May 28, 1907. Serial No. 376,145.

pass readily from rigid rails to cables which,

with the rails, constitute the track apparatus, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan of sufficient of an aerial railway provided with rigid and cable track sections and of carriers adapted thereto to illustrate my invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of a car, and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views illustrating different ways in which the wheels of the carriers may be constructed in connection with my invention.

In the construction shown in the drawin the rail portion of the track consists of parallel rigid rails A, A supported in any suitable manner, and parallel flexible supports or cables B, B which, as shown, are inside the rails A that is, on different vertical planes, although they may be outside the latter, if desired, or there may be a single track consisting of a line of single rigid rails A and a single cable B.

To the track portion of the apparatus is ada ted the carrier C which may have but a sing e wheel, if adapted to a single track road, or preferably, as shown, is adapted to a double track road, using either two pairs of wheels, as shown, or a single pair, if desired. In'any case each wheel D is provided with a tread a adapted to the rigid track A and at one side of the said tread is an annular groove 12, so positioned that it will receive the cable B when the tread a passes from the rigid track portion. By this construction the carriers are adapted to travel with equal facility upon both the rigid and the cable portions of the elevated tracks and are effectually supported thereon, bein propelled through the medium of a draft cab le X, or in any suitable manner.

Inthe drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown the wheels with annular grooves inside the treads a and in Fig. 4 I have shown the same disposition, except the groove is outside the flange c. .In Fig. 5 I have shown the grooved portion outside the tread.

The carriers are propelled by a propelling cable X, each carrier connected to said cable by a suitable grip or clutch, not shown.

I/Vithout limiting myself to the special construction and arrangement of parts shown, I claim as my invention:

1. In an aerial railroad, the combination of a track of partly rigid rails and partly cables, and. carriers adapted thereto and provided with wheels each having a tread adapted to the rail and an annular groove adapted to the cable part of the track. 2. The combination in an aerial railway of a track consisting of parallel rigid rails and parallel cables and carriers having wheels, each wheel adapted to both the rigid and cable portions of the track.

3. The combination in an aerial railway of a track consisting of parallel rigid rails and parallel cables, the latter on different vertical planes from the rails, and carriers having axles, each axle carrying a pair of wheels, and each wheel having an annular tread adapted to the rail portion of the track and at the side thereof an annular groove adapted to the cable portion of the track.

4. In an elevated system, the combination with a rail-way of a cable-way having its ends fixed, said rail and cable-way forming a continuous track for a car, and being located in different horizontal planes at their junction.

5. In an elevated system, the combination of rail-way and a cable-way joined to form a continuous track for a car, said railway and cable-way having a common support at their unction and being located in different horizontal planes.

6. In an elevated system, the combination of a rail-way and a cable-way joined to form a continuous track for a car, said rail and cable-ways at their junction having a common support and being located in different vertical planes.

7. In an elevated system for suspended carriers or cars, the combination of a railway and a cable-way joined to form a con tinuous track for a car, said rail-way and cable-way at their junction being located in different horizontal planes.

. 8. In an elevated system for suspended carriers or cars, the combination of a railway and a cable-way joined to form a con' tinuous track for a car, said rail-way and cable-way at their junction being located in difierent vertical planes.

9. In an elevated system for suspended carriers or cars, the combination of a railway and a cable-way joined to form a continuous track for a car, said railway and cable-way at their junction being located in different horizontal and vertical planes.

10. In an elevated system for suspended carriers or cars, the combination of a rail way and a cable-way joined to form a continuous track for a car, said rail-way and cable-way at their junction being located in different horizontal planes, and a car adapted to travel upon either the rail or cable-way.

'11. In an elevated system for suspended carriers or cars, the combination of a railway and a cable-way oined to form a continuous track for a car, said rail-way and cable-way at their junction being located in different vertical planes, and a car adapted to travel upon either the rail or cable-way.

12. In an elevated system for suspended carriers or cars, the combination of a railway and a cable-way joined to form a continuous track for a car, said railway and cable-way at their junction being located in different horizontal and vertical planes, and a car adapted to travel upon either the rail or cable-way.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signa- E ture in presence of two witnesses.

SINGLETON YOUNG SWEENEY. IVitnesses:

FRED H. ELLIOTT, M. H. DAVIS. 

